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SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — From the very beginning of COVID-19’s impact in the United States and around the world, the most vulnerable population has been our seniors.
Suddenly, people couldn’t hug—or even visit—their parents or grandparents. Couldn’t offer them help on a daily basis.
Here in Southwest Missouri, SeniorAge filled that void in a big way. And they’re this week’s Non-Profit Heroes award winner, presented by American National Insurance.
Since 1973, SeniorAge has been serving thousands upon thousands of seniors in 17 counties in our region, primarily serving those aged 60 years and older and serving based on need—not income. The work they do plays a key role in a senior’s ability to remain independent and live at home.
In a normal year, part of that work includes serving over 1 million meals to seniors through home delivery and in their dining rooms.
But when COVID-19 hit and transitioned into a worldwide pandemic that reached us here in Missouri, SeniorAge was forced to close its senior centers to the public.
Yet the rate of meals and the volume of help only increased.
“From the beginning of the COVID interruption in mid-March when many organizations were forced to close their operations to the public, SeniorAge worked diligently to ensure seniors in our 17-county service area continued to receive meals and services that kept them safe in their homes,” SeniorAge Marketing Director Juli Jordan said.
Since the shutdown began back in March, SeniorAge has provided over 750,000 meals to seniors at no cost—maintaining home delivery and instituting a no-contact drive-thru program.
“Our home-delivered meal program nearly doubled in volume to serve vulnerable seniors who could not get out for groceries and food,” Jordan said. “And our telephone reassurance program saw an increase in customers who wanted a friendly phone call and wellness check. Seniors have come to trust us for guidance, information, and direction.”
SeniorAge’s telephone reassurance program exists purely for joy and wellbeing. Seniors receive a friendly phone call from a caring staff member to check on their personal well-being and to provide a kind ear just to listen and talk.
“During a time of social distancing, seniors can often feel isolated and forgotten about,” one Non-Profit Heroes nominator wrote. “The telephone reassurance program is similar to having a best friend to talk to when times are tough.”
SeniorAge staff have made over 26,000 wellness calls to local seniors, completed nearly 5,000 tax returns at no charge, distributed over 1,100 farmers market vouchers, and provided over 42,000 units of “information and assistance” to help guide seniors through these difficult times.
They also started a text and e-mail alert program to ensure safety and inform about possible COVID-related scams, created new virtual counseling and online wellness videos, and provided transportation trips through carGO to those who needed help getting to health centers.
The farmers market vouchers alone account for over $65,000 of fresh food from local farmers for seniors.
And they’ve done all of this while maintaining their full pre-pandemic staff.
“We all follow alongside our CEO Starr Kohler, who has empowered us with the confidence and resources we all need to be successful,” Jordan said. “Every employee has moved through this pandemic with compassion, courage, and an eagerness to deliver winning service at a time when so many felt alone and scared.’
“The way we operate now is a little different than six months ago, but we look forward to the day when we can safely reopen our doors to allow seniors to enjoy meals, activities, and programs among friends in one of our 36 activity centers. Until then, we will continue to do what it takes to ensure safety and security at home.”
To keep track of all of our Non-Profit Heroes, presented by American National Insurance, visit springfieldcardinals.com/heroes.
Do you want to get involved?
Volunteers are such a big part of what make all of our Non-Profit Heroes, presented by American National Insurance, so great. To get involved with SeniorAge, visit senioragemo.com/contact.
For more on what SeniorAge is doing for our region on a daily basis, follow them on Facebook at facebook.com/senioragemo.
SeniorAge is located at 1735 S. Fort Ave. in Springfield, Missouri.